This year's B.C. Natural Resource Forum represents a decided break from the focus of previous versions.
The forum takes a look at the decade ahead over two days today and tomorrow at the Prince George Civic Centre.
Past forums have been about capturing more value from existing trends, said local MLA, provincial jobs minister and the forum's master of ceremonies Pat Bell, while this one is more about looking into the future.
"We are in uncertain times, uncharted waters with Asia coming at us very, very quickly, the European market in turmoil, the United States continuing to face challenging times, so what are the likely trends that economic experts believe will take place?" said Bell.
"And at the end of two days my hope is that we will be able to create a summary that will say here is, in all likelihood, what the experts think will come at us in the next 10 years."
The event begins this morning with a keynote address from Stockwell Day, the now-retired federal MP who had been the minister responsible for international trade for a period during his time in Ottawa.
But perhaps the biggest name will be Premier Christy Clark, who will give a noon-hour speech tomorrow. The subject will be the provincial government's job creation strategy, rolled out in September, and "where we think the opportunity really lies for business to engage and take advantage over the long-term of the new economic picture we're seeing," said Bell.
Clark is passionate about the strategy, said Bell, and believes job creation is the Liberal government's number one objective.
It's no coincidence that Industrial Training Authority Kevin Evans will speak earlier the same day, from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., about the looming shortage of skilled labour and the need for trades training. Evans will also be giving a presentation along the same at a chamber of commerce luncheon today at the Sandman Inn off Highway 16 West.
Bell dismissed criticism that the forum will be little more than a cheerleading exercise. Past forums have had their share of controversy, Bell maintained, beginning with the first one when then Canfor chief executive officer David Emerson slammed provincial forest policy.
"I don't control at all what the speakers say," Bell said. "They come and say what they're going to say and rarely does a natural resource forum go by without some sort of controversy being created."
Other highlights include a panel session on growth in the Asia-Pacific market featuring the vice presidents of sales for Canfor, West Fraser and Tolko, today, 1:40 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a panel session on mining and the Asia-Pacific market with representatives from Thompson Creek Metals, Imperial Metals and Teck Resources, tomorrow, 10:45 a.m. to noon.
Also tomorrow, the chief executive officers of the Prince Rupert Port Authority and Port Metro Vancouver will give a keynote address on the importance of port capacity in economic development, 9:10 a.m. to 10 a.m.
And representatives from Apache, Encana and Progress Energy Resources will host a panel on liquified natural gas, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
"It is the first major [economic convention] event of the year," said Bell. "It leads into the truck loggers convention on Vancouver Island, the mining convention in Vancouver so I've had very good success in attracting speakers."
And out in the hall, the number of exhibitors is up by about 50 per cent over last year.
"Last year, there was a lot of uncertainty about what was going on and certainly the statistics are suggesting that people are more confident in their economic futures right now," Bell said.
Admission to the forum is free for everything but the two luncheons and the business and technology awards dinner this evening.
And Bell said no government money is being spent on the event.
"The sponsors carry the cost of this so it's very much an event the private sector supports," Bell said.
